and the Starres which thou hast ordained then I say Lord what is man Psal 83 4. you see how stirring his minde was when he considered the heavens and the earth it wrought mightily on him it made him the more humble Others see the Heavens every day and it does not move them one whit to Humiliation before God But when the minde comes once to consider then it shakes off its dulnesse and remissnesse then it growes busie such a man will not goe to Prayer but he considers what he goes about what a great God he is to speake to what a vile creature himselfe is that is to pray to him he will consider how he may pray with faith and hope and feeling of his wants how he may rise up from his knees not without profit Now he will not goe to the word but he will consider what it is he repaires to now all his mind is how he may get good now he is busie in every duty when he is tempted to doe as others doe he considers what the issue will be and this makes him forbeare Beloved this is the life of our mindes when they consider things when we consider our latter end when we consider Gods promises when we consider his threatenings when we take his commandements into our deep consideration when we consider the danger of sinne we doe not onely know all these things but we consider them Though we know neere so much yet except we consider what we know our mindes are lumpish and dead consideration is the activity of the minde and therefore if we would prove our selves to be alive towards God let us put on consideration a dayes Fourthly the remembring of the minde when the minde forgets it selfe every day this is nothing but the deadnesse of the minde for if it be alive to a thing it will be sure to remember it selfe of that if it oan Can a maide forget her ornaments or a Bride her attire yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number Jer. 2. 32. that is my people are dead-minded to me if they regarded me they would remember themselves every day to serve me looke what a man is alive to the minde will be sure to remember us of that we can have no journey to take but our mindes remember us of it no businesse to doe to feed our Cattell to milke our kine every morning and evening to sheare our sheepe every Lammas if we forget any thing in this kinde presently it 's a 100. to one but we remember our selves now when a man is alive to the best things in some measure he will remember himselfe of them every day so David did I remembred thy name O Lord yea in the night too and so I kept thy Law Psal 119. 55. I remembred my selfe and I would be sure to doe what God bid me do it may be his heart began to arise but presently he remembred himselfe and beat it downe againe it may be some other lust began to be up but by and by he remembred him and checked his owne soule when the minde is alive towards God the knowledge of the word does not lie dead in that man but still he remembers it at every need when the Sabbath is coming then thinkes he I remember what God bade me doe Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy when the Sacrament comes then he remembers himselfe O thinkes he let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that Bread and drinke of that Cup now the minde thinkes I will labour to remember God continually what ever I forget I will not forget him when I rise up when I lie downe still I will set my selfe to remember him when I goe out when I come home what ever the Devill say what ever the flesh whisper I will labour still to remember God if I be tempted to wrath then I desire to remember what God sayes give not place to the Devill when I feel spirituall lazinesse then I will unfeignedly endeavour to remember what God speakes unto me cursed is he that does the worke of the Lord negligently c. Fifthly the inventings or the devisings of the heart where the minde is naturally bent and alive there it is witty if riches if preferment if pleasure if learning be a mans lust that he lives in there he is witty so when a man is a live unto God his wit will have that way it's vent as Christ sayes I finde out witty inventions Prov. 8. 12. he speakes not onely of himselfe But of his grace in every one that is this when the minde is alive set towards Christ it will finde out witty inventions nay it 's a strange thing though men have no parts yet if they be worldly how witty they are for such matters and so for good people whose mindes are turned towards God though they be of very weake parts yet how witty they will be in good things what pretty ways they will have to doe good to shunne offences to break occasions of sinne as a Minister in his preaching as Paul sayes I caught you with guile 2 Cor. 12. 16. so let man have a liberall minde the Prophet sayes he will devise liberall things Isa 32. 8. mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good Prov. 14. 22. whence comes the blockishnesse of our mindes but from this that our mindes are so dead if our mindes were more alive towards God it would make us more graciously witty we should devise good things finde out admirable inventions it would teach us plots against Satan plots against the flesh as the wicked their mindes are full of sinfull devises fetches stratagems policies a man would wonder to see how witty the devill is in them to carry them headlong to hell c. Sixthly and lastly the judging of the minde But I spake of this not long agoe and therefore I will let it alone now thus I have shewed you what a lively Christian is in regard of his minde Now the next is that we shew you what a live Christian is in regard of the heart c. And then in regard of the conscience c. and then in regard of the affections c. REVEL 3. 1. And art Dead THe point we are in is this That a dead Christian is as good as no Christian at all First we have opened the meaning of this point and shewed you what is meant by a dead Christian Secondly we have shewed you that this is so by going over all the graces of Gods spirit a man hath near a one of them all that is dead againe by going over all the duties of Christian Religion ye heard a man does neare a one of them all as long as he does them onely in a dead hearted manner Thirdly I shewed you the reasons of this point why a dead Christian is even as no Christian at all there be many reasons of it it stands with good reason that it
people that would not bee satisfied with what teaching they had in their own Synagogues Now I say if every Parish had its severall shining Starre this would not bee Fourthly When some Parishes have their Starres and many have not This casts in a bone of discord between Ministers for they that are idle and vain and scandalous will envy them that spend themselves in giving light Again the people of such Parishes have many times occasion of conversing together and falling into one anothers company Now how will this harden one anothers hearts when people shall say Gods blessing on our Ministers heart hee does not meddle or make with us wee may doe what wee will for all him who would dwell in such a Parish as yours is wee hear hee keeps a horrible stirre with you hee will not let you alone you cannot bee merry now and then but you are sure to heare of it hee is so strict forsooth and so precise you must have preaching forenoon and afternoon and there is such adoe to get precise Constables that you cannot bee quiet What a wofull thing is this how does this harden the Countries hearts The Use of this is first this shews what a miserable thing it is when a Land is darkened that hath but a few starres May bee here one and there one but most places are in darknesse and have none Beloved this is a sign of the wrath of God God is wroth with such a Land and powres his wrath upon such a people as the Prophet sayes Through the wrath of the Lord of Hoasts is the Land darkned Esa 9. 19. Again secondly you that have your stars shining among you how are you to blesse God when there are so many places in the world that have none Suppose the Harvest should bee comming and the earth hath great need of rain to plump up the eares the Corn is quite spoyled for want of rain if it doe not rain Alas our Corn will bee burnt up and prove little worth Now if God should rain upon your fields and not upon your Neighbours Your Closes and Leizes have raine but on the other side of the hedge there is none What a speciall mercy is this unto you As God sayes I have caused it to rain upon one City and caused it not to rain upon another one piece was rained upon and the piece whereupon it rained not withered Amos 4. 7. is not this a great mercy to the owner of that ground where the rain falls and does not fall else-where so my Brethren you that have the spirituall rain in your particular parishes what a mercy of God is it unto you when so many Parishes have not one drop of it Again thirdly let us take heed lest those few starres that yet bee set upon us and so wee bee all in darknesse wee have a little rain yet here and there some O let us repent and be more forward to bring forth more fruit if wee continue to provoke God with our unfruitfulnesse as wee doe that little shall be taken away from you When Gods Vineyard in Judah became barren and brought forth no grapes but wild ones What sayes God I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it Esa 5. 6. q. d. I will take away all the rainy clouds yee shall have clouds still but they shall be clouds without rain starres without light and heat Ministers that shall doe you no good this is a fearfull case and yet God will bring it upon us for a certain if wee doe not take heed There be six signs of all the starres vanishing away that God will take away those few starres those few godly Ministers away that are left First when people will not walk in the light while they have the light As our Saviour Christ sayes Yet a little while is the light with you walk while yee have the light lest darknesse come upon you Joh. 12. 35. q. d. yee have the light a little while the Lord lets you have it hee lets it stay with you a little while longer but if ye will not walk in the light the light shall bee gone and yee shall bee in darknesse this is an evident signe that the light will surely away from us what a deale of light is yet held before our faces and scarce any have a heart to walk in it When servants are idle and will not mend their cloathes in the day time at spare houres why should the Master allow them any candle so we have a day among us and people will not bestirre themselves they goe all rent and tottered in their garments they care not for doing of their businesse therefore the Lord will allow them no candle he will put out all the lights Secondly when people grow deader and deader when they forsake their first love they were once more earnest for heaven more tender in Conscience more eager for good things more lively in Prayer more zealous in holy duties but now they abate and slacken they are told of it and yet they doe not amend when it is once come to this passe the Lord will remove the faithfull Ministery of his Word To what end should he let it stay any longer as Christ sayes to Hphesus Remember from whence thou art falne and repent and doe the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candle-stick out of its place except thou repent Rev. 2. 5. this is another signe of the Ministeries departing away from us Candle and candle-stick will away for wee will not amend Wee have been told of our formality we have heard whole Sermons against our luke warmnesse and against our declinings and yet nothing wil fetch us up again Wee will not think soundly from whence wee are falne we will not bee perswaded to doe our first works our hearts are grown senselesse and nothing can pluck them up therefore how can wee hope but our candlestick will bee removed and quickly too Thirdly when people wax weary of Gods Ordinances they are even cloyed with them like the Israelites there in Amos when will the New Moon bee gone that wee may fell corn when will the Sabbath bee over that wee may set forth Wheat Amos 8. 5. q. d. here is such adoe with Lectures and Sermons wee can hardly have time for our Markets such adoe with the Sabbath it is so tedious so irksome wee are not able to hold out Prayers in the Family come so fast about and duties come so thick wee have hardly any space for our other businesses Ministers require so much of us Sermons are so strict Sacrifices are so often we can have no breathing thus people are cloyed they are full fed they care not much if they had lesse nay some will not stick to say it and others that in their hypocrisie will not say it yet they have no stomack no appetite there is so much Word that they are not able to
may urge one to good things and no question but many of you that are yet in your sinnes have found this to be true how often have your consciences urged you to give over your sinnes to looke after the getting of Christ to lead a godly life how many heaves have your consciences given at you to hoyse you up out of the state ye wallow in to make you more earnest for heaven more strict in your walking to provide for your latter end when ye are at Prayer how often does it urge you to dwell longer at it As it is said of Doeg he was detained before the Lord 1 Sam. 21. 7. he was held there he would have gone away afore but he was held now what should that be but his conscience his conscience urged him to stay long so your consciences urge you to be more attentive in hearing more mindfull of preaching more humble in your mindes lesse worldly more heavenly you may thinke this is a lively conscience no no it is not the truth is the more your consciences doe urge you a dayes the greater is your sin if ye yeeld not But this is so farre from life that it argues you to be the more dead if ye doe not obey and urging conscience is a great blessing I if men have eyes to see what the Lord does for them to deliver their soules from the pit This is the taking of men by the shoulders now if thou pull away thy shoulder They refused to hearken and pull'd away their shoulder Zach. 7. 11. that is the Lord set conscience upon them and urged them to obey as if a man should take another by the shoulder so dragge him and hale him and yet they would not So when Paul spake to Agrippa he felt an urging in his conscience O let me be a Christian and he confest as much two Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian it was almost done he had a great heave he was urged But it would not doe so that this is no argument of life neither Fifthly conscience somewhat awakened may be very eager in urging it may be very importunate every day digging in his sides every day whispering in his bosome O thinke of God O consider thy soule O remember death conscience may be earnest and wonderfull eager with a man O doe not live as thou doest O be not so carelesse of God what wilt thou dye and be damned wilt thou to hell wilt thou never have done away with thy sinnefull courses away with thy dreamings O be stirre thy selfe or thou wilt perish such a conscience had Pilat about Christ it was eager with him not to condemne him This conscience is an admirable blessing woe be to those that stand out against it it is like Iacob with the Angell He would not let the Angell goe till he blest him Gen. 32. 26. like the man that was importunate with his friend and knockt and knockt and would have no nay Luk. 11. 8. I am in bed never tell me of your being in bed I pray let me have three loaves my children are in bed I pray trouble me not that is all one still he knocks he will have him up so when conscience is thus awakened and is importunate and will not be answered c. many a wretch hath such an impudent conscience as this But this is so farre from an argument of life as that it is a signe of a greater death Sixthly conscience somewhat awakened may prevaile very farre by its eagernesse it made the King of Iury doe many things it made the Heathens doe the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14 15. when the Pharisees came to tempt Christ with the woman taken in adultery conscience made them cease and goe out one by one Joh. 8. 9. it made Paul live so unblameably as he did ye know concerning the righteousnesse that is in the Law he was blamelesse Phil. 3. 6. now if ye looke into the 23. of the Acts and the first you shall see it was his conscience that made him doe so men and Brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God to this day as since his conversion his sanctified conscience made him live godlily in Christ so before his conversion his naturall conscience holpen by good education made him live unblameably so that what with one and with the other he could say he had lived in a good conscience to that day that is either morally good or spiritually good And therefore it was conscience that made him doe all that he did people thinke I indeed if they did good duties for outward by respects then they should thinke they were unsound but conscience sets them a worke and therefore they gather they are sound and alive towards God no beloved conscience may make a carnall man goe against all outward by-respects and doe very good dutie this we see in Balaam he went against all outward selfe respects and followed conscience for a house full of Silver and Gold he would not goe beyond the word of the Lord to doe lesse or more Num. 22. 18. so Iudas went against his credit and his profit and all ye know when his conscience told him the money was unjustly taken he went and threw it downe so did Michah the man was an Idolater and had stollen 1100 Peeces of Silver from his Master yet when he heard his mother curse he restored all againe O thought he what shall I heare my mother curse his conscience rose up against that and made him make restitution why doe carnall men pray in secret no question but it is conscience that makes them may be when they are tempted to a sinne in secret they will not doe it and it is the conscience that with holds them in this sense they doe good duties out of conscience now is this Conscience alive no it does not follow ye see this may be in naturall men and women Seventhly conscience somewhat awakened may make one looke at God so farre as it prevailes you may see this in Laban the man was a wicked man yet he lookt at God in not hurting of Jacob though it were in the choyse of his hand yet he would not hurt Jacob and he lookt at God in the thing O sayes his conscience the God of your Father spake to me yesternight Gen. 31. 29. he abstained from hurting of Iacob and he lookt at God in the abstaining from it Because God had forbidden him therefore he will not hurt him so it was with King Cyrus he was a naturall man too yet when he tooke order for the building of the Temple at Ierusalem his conscience made him look at God in the thing O sayes he the Lord God of Heaven and earth hath charged me to build him a house Ezek. 1. 2. so when Jehu destroyed Ahabs house and Baals Priests he himselfe sayes how he lookt at God in the thing come see how zealous I am for
off the Son of God and everlasting life Still when the Prophets would speak unto the people this was their preface The Lord sent mee so sayes Isaiah the Lord sent mee Esa 48. 16. so sayes Jeremiah the Lord sent mee When they refused to hear what he said O sayes hee Truely the Lord sent mee of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words unto you Jer. 26. 15. One would think it wore enough to strike terrour into the hearts of men to put off any Sermon any rebuke any exhortation of Christs Ministers when they know the Lord sends them Of a truth the Lord hath sent mee to speak all these words unto you May bee the Minister is as poore a creature in himself as one of you O but remember who sends him as Christ sayes hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent me Luk. 10. 16. So much shall suffice to have been spoken of the first way whereby Christ is said to have the seven Starres that is the Ministers of the Church namely he hath the sending of them Secondly Hee hath them that is hee hath the giving of them their Commission as they have their Mission from him so they have their Commission from him too They are not onely messengers but Embassadors This Commission hath two things first the heads of their Embassage that Christ sends them to treat of Secondly the authority of their Embassage that Christ invests them with For the first the heads of their commission Christ hath the appointing of them what they shall treat of and they are five First they shall preach the Word Goe and preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16. 15. Secondly to remit the sin of all them that doe embrace the Gospel Joh. 20. 23. that is to pronounce all the promises of the Covenant of Grace and in particular forgivenesse of sins to all true penitent and beleeving Soules Thirdly to administer the Sacraments of the New Testament to all the said persons to whom the promises of eternall life doe belong for the assuring of their hearts concerning all the things of the Kingdome of God to them in particular Matth. 28. 19. Fourthly To build up the Church of God for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying of the body of Christ untill they all come c. Ephes 4. 12. Fifthly to shut the Kingdome of Heaven upon all that have an evill heart of unbelief to goe on in their sins and not to stoop to the Scepter of Jesus Christ Mark 16. 16. and in divers other places These are the heads of their commission that Christ will have them treat of in their Embassage unto men Secondly now for the Authority that hee invests them with it is not any carnall or earthly authority to jet and to vaunt or to domineere as though they were Lords and Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3. no sayes Christ it shall not be so with you But hee that is greatest among you hee shall bee as the least Luk. 22. 26. and therefore I doe not here speak of any earthly authority No the Authority that Christs Ministers have and they have it from him is a spirituall Authority uamely not onely to preach and to declare forgivenesse of sin and to administer the seales of the covenant and to build up the Saints and to denounce wrath and damnation to all that continue in their unregenerate estate through impenitence unbelief but to do all these things with a heavenly Power and Authority to have an Office under Christ for the doing of them so as to be the very mouth of Christ and that which they doe according to their commission from him to stand firme and good for ever and ever I will give power to my two witnesses Rev. 11. 3. The Lord hath given me power and authority sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 8. You will say this is great power indeed all the Kings Potentates of the earth have not so great power as this this is a power of life and death not naturall nor temporary but Spirituall and eternall this is a power not oven mens Bodies but over their soules not in small matters but either for salvation ordamnation This is a great Commission how come they by such a great one as this is O sayes Christ I am able to invest them with as much as this comes to For all power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. 18. q. d. I am able to furnish you with all authority and power goe you in my name and preach you in my name in my name bid people repent and beleeve in my name open heaven to all that doe obey and shut it upon all that doe disobey and I will make it good The use of this is First have the Ministers of Christ such a Commission from Christ then they are the greatest Embassadors that ever were or can be Embassadors of earthly Kings have a great Commission they represent the Kings person from whom they come Alas what are they to these they come about petty things about civill peace or warre and yet they are Lord Embassadors they are Lords by their places they are much respected among men O then what great Embassadors are the Ministers of Jesus Christ that represent the King of Kings person that represent the person of the Lord of Lords that came to Treat of peace betweene God and Man or of open Hostility between the Creator and the Creature as Paul sayes now then wee are Embassadours for Christ As though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christs stead be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 15. 20. that is we have a very great commission we represent the person of our Lord Jesus Christ we come to treat with you about eternity according as you heare us or heare us not so it will be with you unto all eternity O consider what we have to do you are enemies unto God from the womb as long as your sins doe remain ye are enemies still we come to set you at one again Yee know the condition yee know what the heads of our commission bee if yee will not hearken unto them and submit yee are damned for ever if ye doe blessed and happy are yee for evermore was there ever such a great Embassage as this as the Apostle sayes To make known the mystery of the Gospel for which I am an Embassadour in bonds Ephes 6. 19 20. q. d. though the wicked and blinde world look upon me as a Schismatique and a malefactour and cast me into the prison and here I am in bonds they see no such thing in me as an Embassadour of the great God yet the truth is though I bee in bonds they shall know it one day to their cost who I was and what a commission I had and what it is to slight it and put it off I
to you wretch that devise evill the Lord knowes your devilish intentions ye are thinking to be revenged but God will be revenged on you ye are minding to go by-and-by to such a piece of villany but the Lord will find you out This is preaching in season So when a soule cannot be cast downe but when he comes to a Sermon there he meets with his owne case his temptations are treated of wine and oyle is powred into his wounds this is to preach in due season O what gifts had a Minister need to have He had need of daily inflvence from God Daily instincts that God should guide his tongue and his heart Now Beloved it is Christ alone that gifts all his true Ministers I will be with thy mouth saies he to Moses The use of this is First here we see that a Minister had not need be a foole no no he that winneth soules is wise Pro. 11. 30. he must be a wise man that would be a Minister it requires more then humaine wisedome to catch soules when the heart hath so many put-offs so many deceits so many strongholds so loth to obey the word so subtill to invent excuses so crafty to thrust away the truth There is some wisdome required to catch fishes and birdes and vermine how much more to catch men who is sufficient for these things The best of us all may blush to thinke how unfit we are to be Ministers O how should we blesse God if he fit any of us in any suitable measure and when we have done our best we had need to goe home and downe on our knees and cry shame on our selves for not doing better Secondly Then they are none of Christs Ministers that are not gifted for this mighty worke Will he send a foole on such a waighty Message as this is He that sendeth a Message by the hand of a foole cutteth off the feet and drinketh dammage Pro. 26. 6. That is if a man have a businesse of any great importance He had not need to imploy a foole in it lest he suffer great dammage It is all one as if one should chop off ones feet then bid him go on our errand O Beloved preaching of the Gospell is a worke of infinit importance the humbling of mens hearts the convincing of consciences the converting of mens Soules these are great businesses doubtlesse they are no Fooles that Christ sends on such errands True all Christs Ministers are not alike gifted some have meaner gifts then othersome have but he that hath least he is fitted in some measure to dispence divine mysteries to call home Gods elect to build up the called to judge all his hearers to stop the mouthes of gainsayers to hew down the obstinate to shew unto men the things belonging to their peace to give the Saints their due and the wicked their due That a good man cannot come but he shall have heavenly meat to feed on Nor a wretch neither but his Ministery wil single him out give him his bit to chew upon He that cannot doe this in any measure he is none of Christs Ministers Surely he will not send such a Message by a fooles hand but either he makes him a wise able man or else he runs without his sending Thirdly then my Brethren hence we learn whether to go for gifts if we would be enabled to our calling let us goe to Jesus Christ that hath the seven stars in his hands he can make our inflvences strong and our light heate mighty he can give us a gift of boldnesse to feare no mens faces He can unty our stammering tongues that we shall have liberty in speaking He can make our tongues a sharpe sword He can make us sons of consolation unto some of thunder unto others If we want knowledge in the mysterie of Christ let us make our wants knowne unto him he will instill into us If we want words he can make them flow in unto us If we want affections he can purge away our iniquities fire our hearts lips While the Apostles were together at prayer Act. 1. 14. suddenly the Lord Jesus sent them the gift of the holy Ghost in fiery cloven tongues Act. 2. While Paul and Silas were praying in the prison the Lord backt them from Heaven made them instruments of turning the heart of the Goaler Let us pray then not only in our Pulpits before our Sermons but also in secret God giveth the greatest gifts in secret and like man revealeth himself apart as secret meales make a fat body so does secret prayer it makes a well-liking soule Again this should teach us to stirre up the gifts that hee gives us Wee should labour to put them forth a man may lose the benefit of Christs gifts for want of rouzing up himself and putting of them forth as Paul sayes to Timothy I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of hands 2 Tim. 1. 6. wee must stir up the gift in us When Father Isaac would prophecy to his Sons hee stirred up his spirit with savoury meat When Elisha would Prophecy before the three Kings hee called for a Minstrell to stirre up the spirit of Prophecy in him Deborah cryes awake awake Deborah Awake O my soule sayes David When Christ would pray to his Father the Text shews how hee stirred up himself These things spake Jesus and lift up his eyes unto heaven Joh. 17. 1. He lift up his soule and his spirit as Sampson went and shook himself if his spirit had been in him it had been well but like a foole he had driven him away But it should seem when hee had the spirit in him this was his wont hee shooke himself as at other times hee used to stirre up the Spirit in him so wee should stirre up the Spirit in us wee should rouze up our gifts like sparks out of the ashes and bestirre our selves soundly remisse using of them lets them warpe and wane Again wee should labour to relye more upon Christ we trust too much to our notes but O if wee could trust more to Christ that 's warmest matter that comes down from heaven in the speaking not that wee should leave all without study till wee come into our Pulpits No prepare as much as wee can But then if we would trust in Christ for his present assistance and yearn up to him for prompting it would make our Ministery more lively When a Sermon is an effect of Faith that 's it that does most good then Christs Spirit Preaches and not wee as the Prophet David sayes The Spirit of the Lord spake by mee 2 Sam. 23. 2. Again this should teach the people of God if they would have their Ministers inabled indeed to doe their soules good that they should pray for them that Christ would mor furnish them How often does the Apostle tell the people that
long he will continue us It s a dolefull signe when Christ takes away his Ministers from a place it s a signe he hath no more soules to save if he had he would let his Ambassadours lye beseeching still so that this is one great reason because Ministers are His Ambassadours Secondly Because Christ hath all power in Heaven and in Earth as he told his Apostles when he sent them out to preach All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Math. 28. 18 q. d. I have power to send you and I have power to continue your Ministery as long as I thinke fitting and I have power to take you away I have power to ordaine you either for salvation or the damnation of men Whom I will I can convert by your Sermons and whom I will I can deliver up to the counsell of their own hearts that they shall not be converted by you Now if Christ have all power in Heaven and in Earth then he hath power to continue his Ministers as long as his will is I need not stand to prove this it is too evident he hath power to lengthen his Ministers lives to prolong their liberties when he takes away one he hath power to put in another as good when he meant to take away Elias he anoynted Elisha in his roome If their enemies be never so many he can tye up their hands he deliverd Paul from the mouth of the Lyon though fortie men had vowed to take him away by death he diverted their plot and continued him still nay when he was in Bonds yet he was able to get him liberty to go abroad with his keeper and to preach the Kingdom of God to as many as came Suppose the world be never so mad against Christs Ministers yet as long as he hath any more worke for them to doe he can hold off their singers from meddling with them till they have finished the Taske that hee hath given them to doe The Use of this is first That Ministers should not fear to bee deprived of their liberty so long as they doe well indeed if they doe ill if they bee wicked or idle or unworthy such Ministers should fear they doe deserve to be put down But if wee bee godly Ministers it is our basenesse to feare any such thing Christ hath the continuing of us our times are not in mens hands but in his What a horrible thing is it that wee should goe against our conscience in any thing or bee afraid to speak what God bids us to bee mealemouthed to bee discouraged with rumours or dangers wee should keep nothing back of the whole counsell of God wee are starres in his hands and hee hath the continuing of us though men fight against us they cannot prevaile against us till our businesse is all done As the Lord told the Prophet Jeremiah They shall fight against thee but they shall not prevaile against thee for I am with thee Jer. 1. 19. Let us then be afraid of nothing but sinne Let us bee afraid to doe any evill either towards God or towards man let us be harmlesse in the midst of a crooked and a perverse generation Let us deale faithfully with our people let us undauntedly Preach Rebuke Exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine make our faces hard against the wickeds faces no matter for their railings their threatning speeches their malicious accusations and not feare the Lord Jesus hath the continuing of us Secondly Here we may see the reason why the Gospel continues in any place a man would wonder it should continue any where because the world cannot abide it Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted saves Stephen Act. 7. 52. They that doe evill hate the light it cuts them to the heart Every one hates mee sayes the Prophet hee was reproached for the Words sake Report say they and wee will report it One time they put him into a dungeon Another time they would have killed him Shemaiah writ Letters to the high Priest against him Jer. 29. 25. And yet hee continued his Ministery untill the day of the Captivity Nay hee had liberty when others had their liberty taken away Yee know Christ himself Preached dayly in the Temple and they took him not though they gnasht their teeth at his Doctrine and sometimes were in the minde to throw him down headlong and break his neck sometimes to stone him yet till his houre was come he had his liberty And the truth is a man would wonder how any of Gods Ministers have their Liberties continued when there bee so many Drunkards so many Enemies of all goodnesse so many that follow their own ungodly lusts and the Gospel is an eye-sore unto them and yet in many places it stands still This is Gods doing You see here Christ hath the continuing of his Ministers they shall have their liberty as long as God hath any use for them Thirdly Is it so that Christ hath the continuing of his Ministers then this is of use also unto you Now you heare whence to have your good Ministers continued even by seeking to Jesus Christ hee can lay a charge upon all the world where they are to let them alone He can say Doe my Prophets no harme Psal 105. 15. you will say why what shall we doe I Answer first let us repent of our sinnes it is our sins that removes the Ministers of God if we would repent us of our sins and turn from our wicked wayes and let the Word work upon our hearts this would continue the ministery of the Word as God told Judah when they should repent of their sins O sayes hee I will bee your God and you shall be my people and my Sanctuary shall be among you for evermore Ezek. 27. 27 28. that is by Sanctuary he meanes his publique Worship the preaching of his Word and other of the meanes of grace when they repented of their sins then these should be continued So Beloved if yee would repent of your sins I do not mean one or two or a few or so But if there might be a generall Reformation among us this would fasten the Word among us as in a sure place Secondly Let us prize the Gospell the Gospell loves to stay there where it is welcome it will never goe away if it might have good entertainment if wee would honour it and glorifie it and pluck up our affections in the dearest manner to it this would preserve it among us for ever The Church of Philadelphia that used the Word best had it longest c. Our Saviour Christ hath a saying Into what soever Towne or City yee enter enquire who is worthy there abide Matth. 10. 11. And as hee sayes Luk. 10. 7. Goe not from house to house The Gospell does not love to change houses till it be urged so it does not love to change Townes if it may have good usage So Beloved if wee would give the
company of hypocrites and teachers of vanities what are these Preachers wee see little good they doe what becomes of all their Preaching factions and odde opinions in one Towne and dissolutenesse and all manner of licensiousnesse in another If the whole world should let us alone I verily feare God himselfe would put us down immediately in the end So many scandals so many thousand offences are given every day that its a wonder wee stand as we doe That the Lord of heaven lets any Minister in England come into a Pulpit more nothing but pride and self-conceits and selftrustings and feared consciences dead hearts and profanenesse unlesse it be a very little handfull O Beloved if where preaching is it were honoured as it ought to bee and obeyed as it should if people would doe as we teach I dare be bold to affirme wee might Preach long enough If our Townes would sweetly reforme set up good Government root out all disorders and cursed abuses live like Christians indeed be humble and sober and loving and dutifull to God and Man Giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods If we would feare God and honour the King Reverence Gods Courts obey the voyce of his servants love Christ and his word above our appointed food this would lengthen the Ministery of the Land this would bee a meanes for the establishing of Gods Kingdome among us Christ would never repent that ever hee sent his Gospell unto us where wee have some wee should have more where we have more wee should have a hundred times more as the Apostle Peter sayes Who is he that will harme you if yee be followers of that which is good 1 Pet. 3. 13. Thirdly Another Use is is it Christ that takes away Ministers either by death or restraining or by any other way Then let it bee a meanes to exhort us to repent of our sinnes that Christ may still give a doore of utterance to his Ministers that they may still speak in his name This should move us to seek God When Peter was cast into prison O what fasting and crying and praying was there to God for him till hee was restored again Act. 12. 5. they did not goe to Herod to restore him No they knew Christ was hee that tooke him from the Church whoever were the instrument therefore they sought to Heaven for him again if any peoples Ministery bee gone this is the best way to fetch them again Paul knew this to bee true and therefore when hee was in prison at Rome hee writes to Philemon thus I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you Philemon v. 22. Nay hee is so confident that if people would but cry hard for him to God that hee should quickly bee enlarged Nay sayes hee prepare mee a lodging for I trust that through your prayers I should be given unto you q. d. I make no question but I shall out of prison if you will but bee earnest with God So also it seems the Authour to the Hebrews was restrained from Preaching Now mark what an exhortation hee uses Pray for us sayes hee and I beseech you the rather to doe this that I may bee restored unto you the sooner Heb. 13. 18 19. Thus I have finished this part of the Description of Jesus Christ That hath the seven Starres in his hand and the whole Subscription too These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Starres I come now to the Epistle it self I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead but of this more c. REVEL 3. 1. And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis write These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven starres I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead I know thy works c. Revel 3. 1. I know thy workes c. YE have heard two things concerning this Epistle First the Inscription that declareth the person to whom it was sent To the Angel of the Church in Sardis write That is it was sent principally to the Minister of the Church in the Town of Sardis and also to the Christians that were in that Church Secondly the subscription that declareth from whom it was sent These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Stars that is it was sent from Jesus Christ Now we come to the third thing and that is the subject matter of this Epistle which consists of three things First a Reprehension of the sins of the Minister and the body of his congregation Secondly a Direction or the shewing of the remedy for the curing of their sins Thirdly a Commendation of some particular persons in that Congregation that were not carryed away with the sins of the times The reprehension is either in generall I know thy works that is I know them all and I know them to be stark nought for the most part what-ever they seem they may seem to be very good but I tell you plainly I know them all what they be q. d. Generally they are stark nought And then in particular hee instances in two first the sin of hypocrisie or seeming to be good Thou hast a name that thou livest Secondly the sin of deadnesse of heart But thou art dead This is the reprehension or the reproof Then follows the Direction or the shewing of the remedy for he does not reprove them out of any ill will but for their good And therefore he prescribes them a remedy and the remedy is twofold The first is to strengthen the things that remain that are ready to dye v. 2. q. d. as many of you as are not quite and clean dead stir up your selves quicken up your hearts and this is first illustrated by shewing how they should doe thus Be watchfull sayes he q. d. that 's the reason why ye languish on this fashion and ye will languish more and more because yee are not watchfull therefore be watchfull and then it is urged by rendring a motive to use this remedy For I have not found thy workes perfect before God that is thou art hardly sincere a jot thou art full of hypocrisie and formality and thou wilt lose all thy labour if thou dost not look well about thee therefore shake up thy self and strengthen the things c. this is the first remedy The second remedy is to repent v. 3. and this is amplified by shewing how and that is two wayes 1. Remember how c. i.e. consider how thou hast been taught and bewail thy declinings for thou art horribly departed from what thou hast heard out of the Word 2. Hold fast i.e. so bewaile thy warpings and degeneratings that thou mayest get up again and hold thee fast there when thou art up Now lest they should neglect the using of this remedy the Lord Jesus sharpens his speech with
and therefore hee is a blasphemer of God that gets the name of it and lets the thing alone and therefore how shoud wee take heede how wee have the name for Religious people except wee bee Religious indeed and holy indeede and Heavenly indeede as Ambrose sayes nam â—it nomen inane crimen immane a bare name is a horrible blame unto any man whosoever he be Thirdly it is a flat lie when a man hath the name for a good Christian and hath not the thing signified by the Name this is a flat lie as God sayes Note it in a Booke that it may be for time to come for ever and ever that this is a rebellious people lying children children that will not heare the Law of the Lord Isaiah 30. 8. 9. that is they had the name of his children but they had not the thing signified by that name they would not doe as children should doe they would not bee ruled by their fathers Lawes therefore they are lying children they lie in bearing such a name the Lord notes it in a Booke that it might stand for ever and ever against them at the day of judgement this was nothing else but to lie before God you goe for my children what and will not doe as I bid you you lie in haveing the name of my children when a man shall have the name of a child of God or the name of a Minister of the Lord Jesus or the name of a Christian baptized into Christ hee had need to take heed what hee does for if he doe not answer this name hee does but play the Ananias to lie to the Holy Ghost Looke into thy generall calling looke into thy particular looke into thy carriage looke into thy manner of good duties whether thou doe behave thy selfe answerably to this holy name whereby thou art called knowing thou dost but lye to God if thou dost not Fourthly it is an unreasonable thing when a man hath not the thing there is no reason that hee should have the name when God gave Abram the name of Abraham hee told him there was a reason why hee should bee called by that name thy name shall bee called Abraham for a Father of many Nations have I made thee Genesis 17. 5. so it is an unreasonable thing why wee should have the name of Gods servants or Christians unlesse there bee some reason why wee should have the imposition of this name now when wee make it a bare title and doe not obey Christ nor make conscience of all his holy waies this is very unreasonable as Abigail reasoned about her Husbands name as his name is so is hee Nabal is his name and folly is with him 1 Samuel 25. 25. So my brethren as our name is so should we be if Christian be our name true Christianity should bee with us humility love meekenesse patience faith holinesse and all other parts of Christianity should be with us now if we have the name without these things intimated by the name this is a very unreasonable thing nay it is not onely unreasonable but also ridiculous who will not count the names that the Papists give to their blockish Friers ridiculous subtilissimus Doctor Doctor Angelicus Seraphicus these are ridiculous as a drunkard a Christian a whoremonger a Christian a worldling a Christian a vaine man a Christian what a ridiculous thing it is to call such the Saints of God strangers here on earth such as have their conversation in Heaven such as are buried together with Christ in his death such as are men of another World mortified justified sanctified crucified to themselves loving the things above and not the things that are here beneath If these things doe not agree with us what a ridiculous thing is it that wee should bee termed good Christians here bee Christians indeed this is a meere mockery Fifthly it is an impudent thing when we have a name to live and to be wrought upon by the word what an impudent thing is it if we doe not looke to it that wee be so indeed one would thinke wee should blush to thinke what a name wee have and how little wee make good our name between God and our owne soules When the men of Bethlehem said is not this Naomi O how she was ashamed of her selfe call me not Naomi call me Marah for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me Ruth 1. 20. so when wee are named Christians we should even blush call me not a Christian call me a wretch call me a vile creature a hell-hound a limme of the Devill a cursed sinner for the Almighty never yet turned my heart he never yet purified my Soule and life I never yet have resembled Christ to this very day I say the most of us should even be confounded to thinke what a name wee have I a Christian and doe no more good and live no better life I a Christian and not humbled not abased yet before God so dull to all goodnesse so carnall so dead to all Gods Ordinances so voide of all grace so sencelesse of my sinnes how can this be wee are impudent if wee have our name for naught our name may upbraide us the good opinions that others have of us may fill our faces with shame to thinke how short we come of it Sixthly it is an inexcusable thing if we have a name to be alive wee are without excuse if wee be not First because now out of our owne mouthes God will judge us wee said wee were his people wee tooke the name of his servants why then he will say why had I not your service why would you doe no more for me why were you coveteous why were you proud why were you hard-hearted why were you so carelesse of me you wore my livery you shrouded your selves under my name So the Lord did with the Jewes that had the name of his children and servants see how he judges them out of their owne mouth a Sonne honours his Father and a servant his Master if then I be a Father where is my honour and if I be a Master where is my feare Malachi 1. 6. q. d. you say I am your Father and I am your Master and I am your God well out of your owne mouthes I will judge you why then did you honour me no more why did yee regard mee no more yee cared not for mee yee did not looke after mee you had little or no heart after me your owne mouthes have even cast you Secondly ye can have no other excuse can you say you could not beleeve in my name ye could not forgoe such and such lusts at my command why then would you goe for my servants you should have said so plainely and not daily have come into my Courts as if you would obey me nor taken up the profession of my Worship as if you would goe through stitch with it why would you come to my Table
how apt are people to forget any thing that is good to put off any thing that should pull them downe before God and therefore we should labour to help our poore people that if it be possible we may stop them from going downe into the pit Fifthly we should labour to make the things that we preach as if it were lively before peoples eyes as the Apostle preacht Christ crucified to the Galatians even as if he were crucified before their very eyes Gal. 3. 1. so Moses had a very lively Ministry the text sayes he set his points before their very eyes I call heaven and earth to record against you this day that I have set before you life and death blessing and crusing Deut. 30. 19. marke he set before their eyes life and death heaven and hell he preached so evidently that the people might see as it were with their eyes the things that he preached this is lively teaching as the Orator sayes Hypotyposis is an excellent meanes to perswade when the speaker does as it were point before the hearers eyes when he represents the things he speakes of this is preaching in the evidence and the demonstration of the spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a Minister demonstrates his points and this it is this is the sinne and this is the case and this is the misery and thus it stands with you when he labours to make people see it and they must needs see it unlesse they be wilfull and shut their eyes otherwise people heare a Sermon as if it did not concerne them there 's a man in the pulpit and they heare what he says but they never consider how deeply it concernes them Sixthly we should be truly affected with the word of God our selves laying nothing on our peoples shoulders but what we lift upon our owne we should speake the truth from the bottom of our hearts uttering the word of God with feeling and with a contrite heart we should be heavenly as the word is that lip and heart and word may be all a like O if we did drop downe our Sermons as dew downe from heaven on our people this would be a lively preaching indeed as the Prophet Ezekiel did He dropt the word of God on Ierusalem Ezek. 21. 2. if our Sermons did come dropping downe from us as if they dropt downe from heaven O how homely doe our Sermons come from our mouthes as though they never were higher then the pulpit we doe not preach as if the word came dropping down from heaven and therefore people doe not look up to heaven while they heare their mindes are no higher then our pulpits whereas if we had heavenlier hearts and lippes it would more quicken a thousand times or at least be a sitter instrument to quicken Seventhly and lastly we should get the Lord to goe along with our Ministry for it is not our preaching it selfe that hath any life nay it is but a dead letter as it issues from us if we were such men that had the Lord going along with us throughout all our Ministry what a deale of profit would there be in our Ministry as Micha sayes I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord Micha 3. 8. But I let this point passe thus ye have heard the words as they have relation to the Ministry of the Church in Sardis Thou art dead that is thy Ministry is dead Now I come to the words as they have relation to the Church it selfe Thou art dead Thou art a dead people though thou hast a name to live yet thou art dead that is thou art outwardly reformed thou hast goodly order'd congregations good sober civill and faire carriaged people all professing the true religion and frequenting the good Ordinances of God yet thou art dead that is thou art even as good as nothing the doctrine hence is a dead Christian is as no Christian at all Ye know we are all dead by nature in trespasses and in sins that is we are alive to the workes of the flesh and to the world but dead towards God And a true Christian is he that is made dead unto sinne and the world but alive unto God as the Apostle Paul sayes Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 11. this is a true Christian that so leaves his sinnes and so takes up the worship and service of God that he is dead to his sinnes and alive towards God now when a man it may be leaves his sinnes after a manner and takes up the profession of Gods Service and yet he is alive still unto the flesh and dead towards God this is just nothing By dead I meane things first deadnesse of guilt when a man is guilty of any offence that is death by the Law he is said to be a dead man therefore every man hath sinned against God which is death by Gods Law so that every man is dead by nature when a man is pardoned of God then he is alive again and therefore it is called justification of life Ro. 5. 18. now when a man is not pardoned of God he is dead though he have never so many hopes and conceits of forgivenesse thought to apprehend himselfe to be pardoned yet as long as God hath not pardoned him indeed he is a dead man Secondly deadnesse of minde when the minde is Ignorant of God in regard of saving knowledge when a mans minde is without saving understanding then his minde is said to be dead true saving understanding is the life of so many mindes as David sayes give me understanding and I shall live Psal 119. 144. then my minde shall be alive sayes he then I shall know thee aright now let a man have never so much knowledge and learning yet in divine things is otherwise and have nothing his minde is still dead he is a dead man to all the things of God he cannot see God in all his wayes no more then a dead man he cannot minde God he may minde earthly things but he cannot minde God nay though he can mind learning divinity learning learning about God yet he cannot minde God his minde is dead to such savoury knowledge even as dead as a dead man he knowes not how to pray to God as a childe to his Father he knowes not how to doe any duty in a godly gratious manner his minde is as dead to these things as a simple Country-mans is to Latin or Greeke or Hebrew Thirdly deadnesse of heart when the heart is not inclined towards God then we say it is dead towards God and all goodnesse though he goe to good duties every day yet as long as the heart is not inclined to them it goes about them in a dead manner when a mans heart is once inclined towards God now it begins to be alive towards him as David sayes the heart
it I Matth. 26. 21. they all did apply it you see how his speech stirred their mindes they fell presently to apply so when a man cannot heare any sinne ripped up but presently he cryes out Lord it is I Is it I that am guilty of this sinne O if it be I let me see it that I may leave it if he heare of any threatning he sayes Lord is it I O teach me that I may be humbled when he heares of any grace Lord is it I that have this grace O if it be not I O let it be I a quickened minde is an applying minde now if the minde be yet dead it cares not for applying though it know never so much yet it lets the word still be a stranger unto it it does not take it home to it selfe like the hearers there in Hosea as God sayes I writ to them the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing Hos 8. 12. they would not take them home now a quickened minde takes them home this reproofe is to me this Commandement is to me this reproof is to me nay when a reproof to ones thinking of all other should seeme least to concerne him as when our Saviour Christ spake against rich men O how hardly shall a rich man enter into the Kingdome of God! yet the Apostles took it to themselves they were amazed sayes the Text Matth. 19. 25. one would have thought the doctrine should little concerne them alas they were not so rich but they applyed it though fearing least that little that they had should draw their hearts away from God this then is the first Secondly the meditating of the minde this is another stirring act of the minde a naturall man may think of his eternall good now and then but this is nothing his minde is dead for all that But when a mans minde runnes on such things now it is alive look what your mindes doe run on that your mindes are alive to Because it is most certane that that is it which you respect most as David sayes I will meditate on thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes Psal 119. 15. A dead mind may light on good thoughts but when a man meditates of them when his minde runneth upon such themes this mans minde is alive to them he gives his minde to them as Paul sayes to Timothy meditate on these things give thy selfe wholly to them that thy profitting may appeare 1 Tim. 4. 15. you may see this in ungodly men they doe not onely thinke of the world for so a godly man may doe and must doe but their mindes runne on the world they give their mindes to it it is the Apostles saying they minde earthly things Phil. 4. 19. it may be they know gracious things I but they minde earthly they cannot finde in their heart to give their mindes to Gods word and will so that would you prove your selves and your mindes to be alive towards God labour that your mindes may bend their meditations that way let your mindes runne on him and how ye may have his favour and how ye may keep it how ye take heed of offending of him a man is yet dead that does not give his minde to these things whose minde does not runne on them daily And therefore beloved as ever ye do desire to have a proofe of your life towards God let your mindes runne on these things give diligent heed that they may not slip out of your mindes as the Apostle sayes ye ought to give so much the more diligent heed to the things which ye have heard least at any time ye let them slip Heb. 2. 1. if they doe slip away ye know not how as the flesh will let them goe if ye doe not take heed call for them againe as God sayes Bring it againe to minde O ye transgressors Isa 46. 8. Thirdly the considering of the minde when the minde lookes cursorily on things what is this but the remissenesse and loosenesse of the minde now when the minde comes to consider seriously of them now it quickens up it selfe now it lookes wishly and intentively on them indeed alas all our knowledge of the truth all our approving of good courses all is nothing without consideration our knowledge and approbation are dead things without this even as good as if we had no knowledge at all for all the good it will doe us if we doe not consider as God sayes Israel doth not know my people doe not consider Isa 1. 3. looke what our mindes doe consider from day to day that our minds are lively on consideration is the eagernesse of the minde when the minde cares not for an object it will not trouble it selfe to consider of a lesse act will serve such a thing well enough but looke what the minde is inclined unto there it will not goe slightly and lightly to worke there 't will take paines nay it counts it no paines to perpend and to weigh things as in a Ballance as it is said of Mary looke what she heard from Christ she kept it and pondered it in her heart Luk. 2. 19. she pondered it and weighed it in a ballance O it was matter of great weight with her minde where the minde is alive there it will consider and ponder and weigh nay there is not a circumstance but the minde will take it to consideration Take a man that is alive to the things here below how considerative is that man in all matters of that nature As for example now for his gaine he takes every thing into consideration that may make for his gaine He will have his wits about him when he buyes or sels when he sowes or reaps he considers with himselfe that he will not sow too soon or too late in the year or a grain that the ground will not beare he considers how long it was since it was fallow how long it will beare till it be laid fallow againe he considers when he may sell dearest when he may buy cheapest when is the best time to put off a commodity This is the livelynesse of his minde in these things Take this man now for his soule his minde is starke heavy any loose thoughts shall serve turne for that he does not consider here But when a man is a live unto God now his considerations runne out this way now he is considerative this way for his soule for his spirituall and eternall good Beloved consideration is a lively act of the minde as you may see there in Moses Know therefore this day and consider it in thy heart that the Lord he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath Deut. 4. 39. that is doe not onely know it but quicken up thy minde to consider it this will doe thee good indeed this is a very perfect Act of the minde as we see in David when I consider the Heavens the worke of thy hands the Moone